PLANO, Texas - Granite Properties announced the groundbreaking today for a speculative office tower and the four-star, 299-key Hilton Granite Park conference hotel. Both projects are designed by BOKA Powell architects and slated for completion in mid-2014. Granite Properties has engaged Woodbine Development Corporation as hotel development consultant. The two new structures are part of the existing 90- acre mixed-use development located at the Sam Rayburn Thollway (S.H. 121) and the Dallas North Tollway in Plano, Texas.

The 12-story, 300,000-square-foot Class A office tower, known as Granite Park IV, is being built to achieve LEED Silver certification, featuring energy efficient building systems, unique exterior lighting elements, as well as a fitness center, conference space and a five-level garage. The building is surrounded by extensive landscaped walkways and water features that connect to the adjacent buildings.

“The office tower is designed to appeal to the next generation office worker that doesn’t do business exclusively from a desk,” said Don Powell, principal of BOKA Powell. “The ground floor offers a corporate living room environment, with a coffee-shop-style lounge area to foster collaboration. The facility is designed with greater connectivity than ever, so that employees can easily work from the courtyard or a lounge seat.”

The 262,500-square-foot Hilton Granite Park conference hotel includes 299 luxury rooms and 35,000 square feet of conference space, a full-service restaurant, retail shop, a fitness center and outdoor pool and lounge. The lobby includes a large bar area and a unique, multi-purpose technology lounge. The hotel’s interior design blends the region’s agrarian history with modern amenities that will appeal to business travelers. The guest rooms and bathrooms incorporate upscale finishes and lighting, with stone countertops, custom sinks, lighted mirrors and a mosaic back-lit tile. A pedestrian boardwalk along the waterfront connects the hotel to its conference center and surrounding office buildings.

“We are delighted that Granite Properties has chosen the Hilton flag for its premier hotel,” said Timothy Benolken, senior vice president - Operations Western North America, Hilton Worldwide. “This project represents a homecoming of sorts as our founder, Conrad Hilton, opened his first hotel 94 years ago not far from here in Cisco, Texas. We look forward to welcoming guests with Texas-sized hospitality.”

“We’re excited about this expansion of Granite Park and the chance to work with such an iconic brand as Hilton,” said Granite Properties COO, Greg Fuller. “The nexus between Plano’s shortage of conference space and the office market conditions presented a unique opportunity for us to move forward with the Granite Park’s masterplan.”

Granite Properties is the owner and developer of both the office tower and hotel, BOKA Powell served as the design architect, the architect of record and the interior designer, Austin Commercial is the general contractor for the hotel and Balfour Beatty Construction is the general contractor for the office tower.

Granite Properties is a privately held commercial real estate investment and management company with offices in Atlanta, Dallas, Denver, Houston and Southern California. Since 1991, Granite Properties has acquired or developed more than 20 million square feet of commercial real estate totaling $3.4 billion. With a primary emphasis on office properties and an unusually long-term view, Granite Properties places a high priority on creating exceptional work environments for its customers while conserving natural resources.

About Hilton Hotels & Resorts

One of the most recognized names in the industry, Hilton Hotels & Resorts stands as the stylish, forward thinking global leader in hospitality. From inaugural balls and Hollywood award galas to business events and days to remember, Hilton is where the world makes history, closes the deal, toasts special occasions and gets away from it all. The flagship brand of Hilton Worldwide continues to build upon its legacy of innovation by developing products and services to meet the needs of tomorrow’s savvy global travelers while more than 144,000 Team Members shape experiences in which every guest feels cared for, valued and respected. Today, the Hilton Hotels & Resorts portfolio includes more than 550 hotels in 79 countries and the brand remains synonymous with “hotel.” Access the latest Hilton news at news.hilton.com or begin your journey at www.hilton.com. Social media users can engage with Hilton at www.twitter.com/hiltonhotels, www.facebook.com/hilton and www.youtube.com/hilton. Hilton Hotels & Resorts is one of Hilton Worldwide’s ten market-leading brands.
About Hilton Worldwide

Hilton Worldwide is a leading global hospitality company, spanning the lodging sector from luxurious full-service hotels and resorts to extended-stay suites and mid-priced hotels. For 93 years, Hilton Worldwide has offered business and leisure travelers the finest in accommodations, service, amenities and value. The company is dedicated to continuing its tradition of providing exceptional guest experiences across its global brands. Its brands are comprised of more than 3,900 hotels and timeshare properties, with 650,000 rooms in 90 countries and territories and include Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, DoubleTree by Hilton, Embassy Suites Hotels, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Hotels, Homewood Suites by Hilton, Home2 Suites by Hilton and Hilton Grand Vacations. The company also manages the world-class guest reward program Hilton HHonors®. Visit www.hiltonworldwide.com for more information and connect with Hilton Worldwide at www.facebook.com/hiltonworldwide, www.twitter.com/hiltonworldwide, www.youtube.com/hiltonworldwide, www.flickr.com/hiltonworldwide and www.linkedin.com/company/hilton-worldwide.